Improvement in fruit-driers



J. V. R. MILLER.

Fruit Drier.

No. 111,467. Ptnted Jan. 31,1871.

patent ear Figurel is a perspective view.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus, without the fruit-drawers.

itleitrd swat JOHN V. It. MILLER, ()1 RICHMOND, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 111,467, dated January 31, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT -DRIERS.

'.T.'he Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pgrt of the same.

fruit is held, said current-of combined steam and heated air passing through-said chambers'from the bottom tot-he top of the apparatus; the whole being so arranged that the current of steam and heated air does not come in contact with the fruit.

Dcscr'iption'of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 3 is the substitute steam-generator.

Figure-4 is a section showing the bottom of the apparatus with perforations, through which the steam and heated air are admitted.

Figure 5 is one of the fiuit-drawers.'

Figure 6 is the air-heater and steam-generator,

' General Description.

The bottoms and tops of-thcse horizontal chambers are formed of sheet metal, except the top of the upper chamber, in which case the wooden top of the structure serves also as the top of the chamber. I

In the accompanying example, in order to obviate the necessity of soldering, a sheet of metal, cqnal'in' width to the depth of the apparatus, is bent. into an angular form, so as to form the bottom of one hori- :ZOHIZZLI chamber and the top of another, the vertical portion forming thc inside wall ofa vertical chamber, as shown by the lines t, in fig. 2.

The wooden sides of the structure at '1: are grooved,

, to admit the edges ofthe metal sheets and form steam-tight joints.

The .front and rear of a horizontal chamber are formed of wooden strips, which'are also grooved to receive the edges of the metal.

openings (it.

- The vertical chambers at front and rear of the apparatus are iuclosed by corner strips r.

A. represents a fire-pan or furnace, open at the top, with a door, '11, and chimney t.

. B 'represents the steam-generator and air-heater,

which is made to fit tightly on furnace A, the-latter beiugprovided with a ledge or projection, by which thegeneratouwhich isshouldered to suit, is held in position;

The generator B is a cast-iron pan, with a partition, a, forming two compartments.

The compartment 0 is supplied with water, in the operation of drying, by which steam is generated.

D represents the compartment in which the air is, heated.

The metal bottom in of the apparatus-is perforated at'lz figs. 2 and 4, which perforations are located over the steam-generating compartment, and through which perforations the heated air and steam pass into the lower chamber I.

The cold air is admitted to compartment D through Thepartition a is less'in height than the other walls of generator B, thus leaving a passage over its top, through which the ,hot air from compartment D passes into compartment 0, where it mixes with the steam, and, with the latter, passes through the perforations a into the chamber I, and through the successive chambers, escaping at pipe 0.

The bottoms, at least, of the hint-drawers H should be constructed of metal, in order to more readily conduct the heat to the fruit.

The bottoms and sides of the drawers, in the accompanying example, are constructed ofl sheet metal, the fronts and backs being wood.

The latter are provided with perforations 1), as an escape for the moisture of the fruit.

A funnel, s, is provided, for convenience in supplying the steam-generator with water.

The substitutc generator H is an ordinary kettle, provided with a cover, N.

' The cover Nis provided with a (piadrangular ledge or projection, J, fitting into the flanged bottom I) of the apparatus.

The cover N is alsoprbvided with an opening, at, for the escape of steam into the apparatus, and a supply opening,

When the substitute generator is ,used, both the furnace A and generator B are dispensed with, in which case steam only is used for drying.

The cover N may be made in an oval form, with the necessary additional openings-for supplying water and. allowing steam to escape, thus admitting two or more kettles to housed and the apparatus to be con structed on a larger scale.

Having thus fully described my invention,

\Vhat' I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The pan B, for generating steam and heating air, constructed with a partition, (4, and perforations a, in combination with afi'uit-drier, A, operating substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the fruit-drier A, having a perforated bottom, an a, pan B, and fnrnace A', arranged relatively to one another, substantially gs set forth.

JOHNV. R.- MILLER.

Witnesses L. STUDY, .0. W. (JOGGSHALL. 

